Electric Appliances from China in the USA?

[herowithoutacause]

My fiances brother got her a new electric rice cooker, but I am not sure if we can find an adaptor to use it in the USA. Is it possible to get an adaptor, and if so would it be easier to find in China before we leave, or in the United States? By the way, I live in Detroit, and there doesn't seem to be a large Chinese presence here, would that make it harder to find one?

 

Thanks, Walter

[NY-Viking]

Finding an adaptor in a RadioShack or similar store in Detroit shouldn't be a problem. Will probably be cheaper in China, but just make you get a quality one.

[Dan R]

The adapter is the same for European switching to U.S. so it is a general item. Online you can order the 110 to 220 step down converter. That is the opposite of the adapters you need to use U.S. appliances in China. Check the appliance first though. Japanese rice cookers are often made for both. Now many Chinese goods are starting to also make 110 to 220 volt products as more electrical things start coming from China.

 

Here are all the converters you may want. Be sure to check the wattage.

 

http://www.dvdoverseas.com/store/index.htm...catalog1_0.html

 

or here

 

http://www.welectronics.com/transformer.shtml

Edited April 23, 2006 by Dan R (see edit history)

[Kaige]

You can always add a 220 dedicated circut for these appliances, just remember that it is 220, mark it as such as the configuration of there general porpose recepticles are the same as ours, easy if you have an electrian friend.

[tonado]

http://www.dealtime.com/xPP-rice_cookers_and_steamers

 

I would recommend buying a new rice cooker here in USA. Having a converter is a pain. Also, shipping the rice cooker here will cost money.

[LeeFisher3]

You can always add a 220 dedicated circut for these appliances, just remember that it is 220, mark it as such as the configuration of there general porpose recepticles are the same as ours, easy if you have an electrian friend.

209359[/snapback]

This works somewhat, but the 220v is 50hz in China and in the US it's 60hz. Not sure how much this would shorten the life of the product.

 

It's cheaper to buy a cooker here than pay the electrician.

[yuehan123]

Yeah, buy it here. Better yet, buy it at a garage sale. We got one for about two dollars, still in the box and hardly a scratch or use mark on it.

 

And, as a bonus, she will likely enjoy bargaining for small, sterling silver jewelery boxes and other stuff.

[amerchin]

Rice cookers don't cost that much here in the US. If you have to get a converter and a step down transformer then it's just not worth the cost. We don't even have a rice cooker. I taught my wife how to cook the rice with a regular pot.

[Jonathan]

I got a 220 to 120 / 120 to 220 power converter which I bought in China. That thing is really heavy. Must weigh 3 lbs.

 

Personally, I would not use the converter long term, as I am uncertain regarding how safe they really are over long term use. The more parts you use, the higher the chance that something can fail. I would hate to have my house smoking up in flames because of some shoddy converter.

 

There are plenty of rice cookers available for sale in the states. I live in San Francisco, so rice cookers are super easy to find here. If you're in an area where there is not a lot of asian stores, you can order the rice cookers online.

[NY-Viking]

Dang ... we got ours in Target for about $10-$20 .... had a picture of Martin Yan on the cover.

[Zingaro]

Dang ... we got ours in Target for about $10-$20 .... had a picture of Martin Yan on the cover.

209810[/snapback]

We bought one of Martin Yan's rice cookers, also.

 

We tried the transformer thing for a couple of appliances my SO insisted on bringing from China. A proper transformer (one that can adjust up or down, 50Hz or 60Hz, etc.) is expensive - much more expensive than a decent rice cooker.